Ethel Margret Chapman
by Electric Ella
Summary: Set in England, in 1837, this is a vampire/human romance. The vampires inspired by Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series are even more alluring in clothing from the 19th century. Ethel is completely entranced by William, however the fact that William is a supernatural being who is instantly attractive to all humans makes their relationship complicated!
1. Chapter 1

William Cuthbert had been lonely for the two centuries he had been a blood-drinking menace. No woman, human or vampire, could fully engage him. And there had been many, many women.

His 'second life' as a vampire had given him ample time to find a soulmate. He could not even remember what happened when he was bitten, and spent most of his time learning languages, travelling with the wealth he had accumulated, and getting his heart broken. Repeatedly.

The women he had been with were now all either dead or undead. The vampires tended to only be interested in one thing, and he needed someone who loved him for who he was, rather than his talents in the bedroom.

"Ethel, you are of marriageable age now. You simply must wear your corset tighter."

Ethel grimaced. Everything she was taught to do had the purpose of attracting a suitable husband. Preferably one who had a large income, perhaps eight thousand a year. She couldn't understand why her parents wouldn't allow her to choose a husband herself either – she had to go to the right balls to meet the type of man her elders deemed suitable.

Ethel had already decided that anyone her parents classed as suitable could not attract her. They were usually older men, who enjoyed cigars, gentlemen's clubs and hunting. She hoped she could attract a man who was rich enough to be more interested in his pursuits than his wife, or perhaps a man who truly loved her.

The latter was surely impossible. At twenty years old, she needed to find a husband before the season was over. Since the law changed in 1823 to allow anyone of any age to marry, it wasn't uncommon for girls of just fourteen to be wives.

Her mother was still talking: "…and you know that tonight is the ball of Mr. Rogers, and everyone in town says it's the ball of the century! Everyone will be in attendance, and you will meet the Earl of Huntingdon, and perhaps Sir Edward, who has five thousand a year! Won't that be such a delight!"

Ethel's maid came into her chamber, holding a richly adorned evening gown. Light green muslin, with a soft, flowy finish. The maid began to dress Ethel's hair, pinning up her silky light brown curls with a pearl headband. "I'll leave you to prepare – I must get ready myself! We can't be late to such a great event!" And with that, the mother flounced out the room.

William was tired of attending events. However, Mr. Rodgers was an important family friend and he knew he had to be seen. His 'condition' caused humans, particularly the female kind, to find him extremely attractive. He might as well put those well-practised dancing skills to good use.

His servant, Robert, dressed him in a new tailcoat and pressed black trousers. His blonde hair, too short for a queue, was brushed to a perfect shine. He was every inch the fine English gentleman, and he usually caused quite a stir. He picked up his cane and added a few extra inches to his already tall frame with an elegant top hat.

"I hope the carriage is prepared, it wouldn't do to be late."


	2. Chapter 2

The ballroom was filled with people of all ages. It was the only time in young people's lives in which they could mingle with the opposite sex without the all-seeing chaperones. Parents were often too engaged in conversation with the local gossips to notice any improper touching or glances from their offspring.

Despite her reluctance to find a husband, Ethel became caught up in the atmosphere. Dancing was indeed one of her passions, and it thrilled her to see so many of her friends and acquaintances well-dressed and enjoying themselves so. She rushed to meet a few girls she had known all her life and chatted eagerly about the men who were present that evening.

William, on the other hand, stood a little apart from the others. He enjoyed watching the dancers, and the room was so full of life. Luckily, he had had much practice being around humans without feeling the need to bite their necks, and had been satisfied rather well from his hunt the night before, so he felt reasonably comfortable.

He did notice a few women turning their glances towards him. His aloof demeanour broke and he allowed himself to smile gentlemanly at them. He caught a few blushes, causing him to forget himself and smiling even wider. He watched the dancers intensely: a little flash of brown hair caught his eye. She was moving very quickly, flowing perfectly with the music. She was graceful and he found her flushed face endearing.

Perhaps he was in the mood for dancing after all.

Once the music stopped, and the obligatory clapping had been done away with, he stepped forward and introduced himself to the little brown-haired woman before any of her friends could steal her away. She announced her name as "Ethel" and he could see she enjoyed speaking to someone she found attractive. He allowed her to rest and have a sip of wine, before asking the all-important question: "May I have this dance? I trust you have not already been stolen away this evening?"

"Not at all sir, it would be a pleasure." He felt her gaze, unusually confident. It was the first time a woman had made him feel self-conscious.

The quartet struck up "Ship's Cook," which disappointed him as it was a continuous dance and they had to change partners. For reasons unknown to him, he was reluctant to pass on his partner to the next man.

He watched as she turned full circle, hair flying away from her heart-shaped face. Her hands, when they again landed in his, were warm through his gloves. Her eyes were bright, reflecting the chandeliers, and she just seemed so perfectly aligned in the moment. His hand lingered a little as the dance moved on and she had a new partner.

William did not remember a single feature of the women he danced with afterwards. His usually attentive gaze wandered around the room, looking for Ethel. The mysteriously confident woman with the steady expression struggled to focus on the dance, and was unable to turn full circle with some of her partners. "I'm dreadfully sorry sir, I believe I am a little distracted this evening. And it is just so _hot_."

The dance ended with Ethel coming back to her original partner. His gloves tightened around her fingers and her eyes shifted upwards. She was so taken up in the heat of the moment before, she barely glanced at his face. He was pale, though not sickly. Gentlemanly. Pale skin was a sign of wealth – one who clearly did not spend all day labouring in the fields.

William inspected her features again: those eyes, they just seemed so lively. Her choice of dress matched her perfectly, though he struggled to explain why. She was beautiful, with high cheekbones and a tiny left dimple. The dance ended, yet he could not let go of her warm, slender hand.

Although it gave her a lively glow, she felt far too warm. "Please sir, I am in need of some air and refreshment."

"May I accompany you?" He was hopeful. Perhaps they could be alone, away from the noise and distractions. He suddenly realised what he was thinking – he hadn't felt so attracted to another person for decades. The desire to be close to this woman was stifling.

"Yes, I believe that would not be improper. I do hope I am not unwell or feverish." Ethel fanned herself gently and allowed William to lead her outside.

She felt a little better once they were away from the crowds. Ethel's breath made little clouds in the winter air, and her reddened skin turned to gooseflesh as she drank in the cold air. "May I inquire about your family?"

The direct address made him slightly uncomfortable. "You know my name is William. I'm a writer, but my father is an Earl. I inherit the family estate when I marry. And now you must tell me a little of your heritage."

"We have a small estate, and my sister is the wife of the Marquess of Bute. I have another sister who is fifteen. I spend the summers in Scotland with my aunt and uncle, the Forsters."

"I should like, very much, for your family to dine with me before Yuletide."


	3. Chapter 3

The couple had been courting for around three months when Yuletide arrived, and it was finally time for William's famous ball! It was also Ethel's first real view of his beautiful estate. A solemn gothic pile greeted them as their carriage curved down the driveway.

William himself stood at the entrance, personally welcoming the guests. "And the lovely Miss Chapman! May I reserve the first few dances?"

"Why, of course! It would be an honour, sir." She allowed a servant to remove her cloak, and stepped inside the ballroom. Soon enough, William took her arm and led her onto the parquet floor.

They danced almost every dance, until a beautiful waltz was struck up on the piano. "Tomorrow," William leaned close to her ear, "I will request a meeting with your father. And, if possible, a private audience with yourself."

Her face glowed in the candlelight. "I look forward to it immensely!"

The following morning, William had a short talk with Ethel's father. It lasted roughly ten minutes, and ended with William rushing out of the office, a smile plastered on his face, and he rather inappropriately embraced Ethel, fingers pressing into her shoulders.

And then came the part considered proper by the elders. William requested a private audience with Ethel in the drawing room, and the doors were closed by the servants. Ethel stood, confidently, as William bent down on one knee and produced a beautiful ring. "Ethel Margret Chapman," he said, watching as her eyes sparkled with emotion, "Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife, and staying with me forever?"

Tears spilled over her eyelashes and it took all her effort to croak out: "Yes! With all my heart, a thousand time yes!"

William crushed her lips in a passionate kiss. "I love you, my dearest Ethel." His thumb slid over her cheekbones to wipe away her overjoyed tears.

There were family celebrations to be had, sisters to embrace and relatives to tell. Ethel barely had time to think about married life, or the wedding for the next few weeks.

It was late January before Ethel was able to meet with William again. He asked permission of her parents to allow Ethel to stay on his estate for a fortnight. His sister would be the perfect companion and chaperone, and it would allow the couple to make wedding plans for the coming Springtime. A reluctant agreement was made with the parents.

Despite the cold, William insisted, on Ethel's second day at the Cuthbert estate, that the couple would take a walk to the summer house. A picnic was prepared for them there, he said, and it would be ample refreshment after the breezy walk.

His sister, Helena would be chaperoning alongside her husband Charles. However, they promised to walk a little way in front of Ethel and William, allowing the couple some privacy.

The first thing Ethel noticed was Helena and her husband both had the extremely pale skin and dark eyes she had come to associate with William. They were rarely seen at balls and had no children, resulting in others assuming they were reclusive.

Ethel clung onto William's arm, noticing not for the first time, that it was unusually cold. They chatted a little as they walked down the lane, hoping to get to know each other as much as possible before their wedding day.

When they reached the summerhouse, Ethel found that a fire had been laid in the grate, and a picnic was indeed spread out inside. They sat together on a blanket complete with cushions. "Well, this is where we leave you. There will be servants in attendance, so you're not alone, but we believe everything is right and proper here."

Ethel was slightly uncomfortable about this, but knew William would never do anything to harm her. Besides, they were engaged now. She would be in these situations much more often.

"I haven't been entirely honest about myself and my family. And I need to tell you what I haven't been honest about, to give you ample time to end the engagement if you so wish."

"But are we not already engaged? A date is currently being decided on for the wedding! I love you so dearly, it may already be too late to tell me this."

"I know that. You must understand, I allowed my love for you to cloud my judgement a little. I must tell you before it is too late – in fact I may show you now. If you have finished eating, I will request you to come outside with me."  
She did so, and watched as William took off his overcoat and rolled up his shirtsleeves. As the cloud cleared, to allow the sun to shine on his skin, it sparkled as though it were made of diamond.

"Is this a trick? Are you a magician?"

"No. More than that. I come from a family of supernatural beings. Some call us creatures of the night, as we feed, not on fruit and vegetables as you do, but on blood. I generally go hunting and feed on animal blood, as I prefer not to harm people."

Frightened, Ethel moved slowly away from him. "You belong in an institution. You're a fraud. I'm scared, please stop this, I'll do anything! I'll scream for your sister!"

"I understand your fear. But you have nothing to be afraid of. I have not tasted mortal blood for almost a century and am so comfortable around people, you have nothing to fear. Please try to understand, you have nothing to fear from me. Charles is also a vampire and he is a doctor – he experiences mortal blood often and has never tasted it. In fact, I believe you have more to fear from human men who are unable to control themselves."

The last remark was a crude one, but it comforted Ethel.

"Perhaps I am beginning to understand. But I need to know more about your kind. Where did you come from? Have there always been incubi…or vampires, as you called them, in Britain? Why does no one know about this?"

"People have suspected for centuries. We emigrated from Italy, where the vampire government lives. We wanted a quiet life, so we bought this estate about fifty years ago. In vampire years, I am about one hundred and thirty years old, however I was turned into a vampire when I was twenty-eight."

Their conversation continued long into the afternoon. Ethel had trouble sleeping during the night, unsure of how to continue. William had given her an ultimatum: she had to allow him to turn her into a vampire for them to be together. If not, William would break off the engagement and take the blame.


	4. Chapter 4

Ethel was unable to sleep that night. The noise of others walking the halls of the mansion unsettled her, and her mind struggled over her ultimatum. She dearly loved him, but such a choice seemed impossible. She would need to watch her friends and family grow old, while she would stay the same. She didn't understand how this would affect her chances of raising a family, whether such a thing was even possible as a vampire.

However, there was still a nagging feeling that she would be giving up her only chance at true happiness in marriage. She knew marital satisfaction was unachievable if she didn't love her partner. And she also knew that this was an opportunity to have a strength unavailable to most women. William had said she would learn to hunt, and become fully accepted in the vampire society. She would have a double life, partly the social wife and partly the strong, thirsty hunter.

Ethel knew, that after such information had been given to her, a normal human life would seem dull and short. She lay in bed, thinking while watching her candle slowly burning down.

The squeak of the door being pushed open distracted her from her thoughts. Instinctively she covered herself fully with her bedsheets. "Who is it?" She asked quietly.

"I am taking liberties, I understand." William walked in slowly.

"some privacy, please sir!" She sunk lower into the sheets, knowing how improper this was.

"Please hear me out. I was unable to rest, pacing the floors of the manor, and I need to speak to you. This simply cannot wait until morning."

"I must confess I have also been unable to sleep." Ethel relaxed slightly and invited him to come a little further into the room.

"I love you, Ethel. It is a selfish love, but I need you. I have been dreadfully lonely all my, existence, and I will never meet another woman as beautiful, charming and lively as you. I know it's ridiculous, I know it's unfair and egotistical of me but I do not believe I can live without you. Will you please consider being my wife and therefore allowing me to create a vampire of you?"

"I have thought very carefully about this, sir. And I believe I feel the same way. My heart, while it beats, belongs to you alone. I wish to be one of your kind to allow myself to love you as one of your own."

Ignoring all propriety, William rushed up to her bed and kissed her full on the mouth, his hands gently caressing her cheeks. Embarrassed, Ethel embraced him and fell back on the covers.

The following morning, all was set up for Ethel to be turned into a vampire. A temporary bedchamber had been created in one of the spare rooms, devoid of all furniture but a bed and a single chair. The floor and walls were bare and the few candleholders created an oppressive atmosphere.

"Please don't be alarmed. This procedure simply needs to be done with as much discretion as possible. It will take about six hours for you to fully change, and I will be here at all times to keep you safe."

"Are my family notified that I shall be staying at your manor for another few weeks? I do not want a surprise visit from them, or for them to worry!"

"Everything is taken care of, Ethel. Please try to relax and we can begin this as quickly as possible."

Lying on the bed, she took a deep breath in and allowed him to lean over her. In a strangely intimate gesture, his mouth met her lips and slowly kissed their way down to her neck. He held her firmly yet lovingly as his fangs sunk into her warm, human flesh.

The scream rang throughout the house. Ethel was only vaguely aware of a few movements, framed in white beneath her eyelids. She knew that she could smell the coppery scent of blood, and that it was splashed across her arms and breasts. She knew that William had cut away the top part of her dress, and that her modesty was well and truly exposed to him, but pain slashed itself through her awareness and she was unable to do anything other than cry out weakly.

Another flash of red seared her vision, followed by an overwhelming darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

The first thing Ethel became aware of was a cold hand tightly gripping hers. She had a dim memory of experiencing a trauma, but it felt far-off and indistinct. Her head felt as though it was filled with water and her ears didn't appear to be working. Either that or she was surrounded by silence.

Slowly the fuzzy feeling inside her head evaporated, to allow Ethel to think clearly enough to open her eyes.

"At last, you're awake! Welcome to the family, Ethel." William gently massaged her hand with his own.

The memories of the past few days slowly seeped back into Ethel's consciousness. "I…I feel odd."

"Try to stand up, I'll support you."

His hands were strong on her waist as she gently pulled herself upright. "That's better. All I can remember is my life flashing before my eyes and then everything going black – is that unusual?"

"Not at all, my love. Please try to relax, you're safe now."

A maid dressed her in an evening gown, ready for their evening meal. At the table, a wine glass filled with a thick, red liquid was set in front of her.

William watched as Ethel's eyes glimmered a dark crimson. Slightly uncertain at first, she took a quick sip and then, relishing the coppery taste, she gulped down the rest, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand in an extremely unladylike way.

The couple spent the whole night in the drawing room, William teaching Ethel how to breathe _just so_ and how to walk more naturally.

She became tired of wandering the room pretending to be human. Slowly she came to sit on the arm of his chair. "You said there were other perks of being a vampiress?"

"Well, for a start," he said, placing her hands on his chest, "Human customs are no longer neccessary."

With a confidence she never possessed as a human, Ethel brought herself down to sit in her lover's lap. He caressed her head, kissing her face softly until reaching her lips. There his lips met hers hungrily, his hands clasping her face to his.

Shivers spun through her, the sudden pleasure a startling contrast to the cold comfort she had experienced as a human. Their lovers dance increased in pace, William carrying her to the wall to press himself against her, eliciting most unladylike moans from her crimson lips.

His hands were everywhere, causing her to shudder and become a limp doll in his arms. However, respecting her wishes, he went no further than kissing. He had been waiting over ninety years for his dream wife, waiting a few months until their wedding night was nothing in comparison.

Their wedding took place on a March evening, Ethel's pale skin gleaming in the twilight. The ceremony was short, yet the neighbours talked about their vows for months afterwards. "So final," they would say.

Ethel ended her vow by promising to "Stay by her husband's side for eternity, whatever may befall them."

And then it was a chaste wedding kiss to seal their relationship, followed by laughter and music and bells.

Their dance was a spectacle to behold – never before had a couple been so perfectly in time with one another, never had a pair appeared so intuitively connected in a waltz. The ball afterwards was extremely popular, and everyone who was anyone was there, decked out in their finest dresses and waistcoats.

William danced every dance with Ethel, distracting her from the many living, breathing humans surrounding them. And all too soon it was the small hours of the morning, and they were saying goodbye to the final guests.

"At last, we can be fully alone together." William helped Ethel into his carriage and they drove all the way to Bath. They simply talked away the three-hour journey, learning even more about one another.

Finally the couple arrived in William's town house. He carried her up the stairs very early that morning, where they consummated their marriage. Although rough and passionate, as vampires often are, their experience in the bedroom was ultimately romantic and a true symbol of their love.

Ethel lay in their sumptuous four-poster bed, watching the sun rise over the city through the bay window. Already people were preparing to start their day: street-sellers and stable-boys were setting up in the dim streets. She was overwhelmed by a sense of completeness. Everything felt so natural, and she couldn't imagine life without her new husband. Outside the house, the sun rose, tinting the sky a rosy pink and highlighting Bath's beautiful stone buildings.

 _The End._


End file.
